Wilder on hot pics, autobiog

GOOD MORNING: There’s no doubt about it, the two movies that people are talking about (in Hollywood, anyway) are “The Player” and “Basic Instinct.” So, when Billy Wilder happened to call yesterday ayem, we asked him about both. As for “Basic Instinct,” he found it “offensive.” And on the subject of Joe Ezsterhas’ three-million-$ fee–Wilder said he never made that much for even two of his scripts–which Billy also directed. As for the studio-themed “Player,” Wilder said, “I don’t consider it competition–I did it 42 years ago” (“Sunset Boulevard”). Wilder is winding his autobiog (in German) with Helmuth Karasek for publication in Germany “Where I’m a star–21,000 copies have been ordered in advance””Basic Instinct’s” director Paul Verhoeven and wife Martine celebrated their 25th wedding anni at their new Pacific Palisades home–where Martine entertained guests by playing Mendelssohn with her chamber music trio. Howzat for a wild Hollywood party!? Guests included Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mario Kassar, Andy Vajna, Mike Medavoy, Marion Rosenberg, Renee Soutendijk (who winged in from Holland for the event), and members of Verhoeven’s “Basic” crew and special effects team From the “Cliffhanger” location in Cortina: Sylvester Stallone got a bigger press turnout than an earlier Pope visit, the town’s mayor told Caroline Goodall, the film’s femme villain. Caroline was the “ultimate mother” in “Hook,” the “woman with a past” in Aussie outings, and “the other woman” in Britain. So this “heavy” role in “Cliffhanger”is a terrif change.

The company gets to its mountainous locations by ‘copter or snow cat. She says, “The English camera crew are intrepid and the Italians greatly prefer drinking coffee at base camp. And director Renny Harlin–he’s enjoying every moment of the rugged shoot. He’s the perfect man for this–he’s in his element.” P.S.: The Italian Dolomite mountains are doubling for our Rockies Goodall’s husband, thesp Scott Hoxby, also in the film as an FBI agent, is in good training for his next outing–in Outer Mongolia for “Ghengis Khan,” directed by Ken Annakin.

PRODUCER DONALD MARCH suffered broken legs when hit by a car as he was in a crosswalk en route to dinner with Iman and David Bowie. Despite the painful injuries (he’s in a cast from here-to-there), March is producing “Man In The Attic” for CBS. Jess Hoaglin of the Lippin Group undergoes heart surgery atEncino hospital tomorrow Producer Brad Wyman (“The Dark Backward”) and Lesa Anne Pedriana were married Sunday at the San Ysidro Ranch. Wayne Newton sent a 150-piece marching band to Brad’s bachelor party at Charlie Sheen’s house Catherine O’Hara (“Home Alone I & II”) and Bob Welsh, production designer (“Edward Scissorhands,” etc.), held their wedding rehearsal dinner at their favorite eatery, Chez Jay’s, Friday (24) pre-Malibu wedding and took off for a honeymoon in Italy Barbara Corday and Roger Lowenstein will wed Friday Patricia Seaton Lawford and Dan Stewart tie the knot June 20 Casting director Meg Liberman and writer Frederik Pohl IV were married Sunday (26) at the Wilshire Ebell–where you could have put together any project with the casting directors and producers on hand A record $ 350,000 was raised for Otis/Parsons School of Art & Design’s scholarship programs at their Critics Awards Fashion Show Saturday. It honored Fred Hayman with the school’s Fashion Achievement Award. The BevHilton (where Fred was once general manager) Intl. Ballroom was packed for the event chaired by Elaine (Mrs. Bram) Goldsmith. Hayman revealed he’s readying another perfume, “Fred Hayman’s Touch.”

SANDY DUNCAN IS HOSTESS at the Dance Gallery Guild’s toasting to Ginger Rogers Saturday (2) at the BevHilton Comic John Henton, who scored on the “Tonight” show with Johnny Carson and repeated with Arsenio Hall, is signed for an ABC pilot “Bust A Move” via Eddie Murphy’s banner Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington were cooking up a project at Toscana in Brentwood. Eatery owners Mike Gordon and Agostino Sciandri were meeting with designer Sam Lopata for the Terrazza Toscana to open in Encino this fall Bob Morris departed California Beach Restaurants for a participation in equity and profitability in the new, giant Gladstone’s Universal at U’s Citywalk. The hilltop Valley fisheatery will seat 600 in 20,000 square feet. Morris, you recall, founded Gladstone’s 4 Fish in Malibu, R.J.’s in BevHills, Cabo (3) in Century City, etc. Danny Kaleikinini celebrated his 25th anni at the Kahala Hilton with the weekend’s three-day celebration. Danny has a hefty fan following with a horde of Hollywoodians who hie to Hawaii regularly–especially at Christmas. When Bob Burns, then manager of the Kahala, first brought Danny there from the Hawaian Village, Danny was getting $ 1 a head. He invested in Hawaiian real estate. Now, he laughs, “I may buy the hotel some day” Darryl Strawberry, at Sy Devore in Sherman Oaks, bought a handpainted tux with cosmic designs in eight colors–yellow, red, green, orange, magenta, tan and–of course, Dodger Blue.